Collapsible floor display stand



J 1954 .w. G. ANDERSON, JR ,666,531

COLLAPSIBLE FLOOR DISPLAY STAND Filed July 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l 4 -1NVENTOIZ 65 35 WILBmz G. Anoensqwi;

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Jan. 19, 1954 w. G. ANDERSON, JR

COLLAPSIBLE FLOOR DISPLAY STAND 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed- July 24, 1950 \NVENTOR Wnaua G. Auoezsomda.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 19, 1954 W. G. ANDERSON, JR

COLLAPSIBLE FLOOR DISPLAY STAND Filed Ju1 -24, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fm-HQ.

ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 19, 1954 COLLAPSIBLE FLOOR, DISPLAY STAND Wilbur G. Anderson, Jr., Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to American Box Board Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application July 24, 1950, Serial No. 175,615

2 Claims. (01. .211135) This invention relates to a. collapsible floor display stand or case of a novel structure and economically produced, preferably, solely from .paper board material. a

It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide a display stand or case which has the usual back and ends, spaced parallel shelves and openings in the front above the shelves for access to articles held on the shelves, which may be erected and will provide a sturdy dependable case for holding displaying and dispensing merchandise, and which may be shipped from the factory in a substantially fiat, collapsed condition. When it reaches its destination, where it is to be used, it is veryquickly and readily put into its operative form, the case or stand being produced at a very low cost. In the production of such display stand or case, novel structure is used by means of which the collapsing or erection from collapsed position is attained. almost instantly.

. 'An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. l is a plan of a blank of paper board material from which the back, front and the two ends of the case are made.

Fig. 2 is a similar plan view of a blank of paper board materialof an operating member located in the back of the case, to which the rear edges of the shelves are connected; and which, is used in collapsing the case or in erecting it to itsoperating position. Q

. Fig; 3 is a plan view of a blank of paper board material used at the front lower portion of. the

case.

Fig. 4 is a blank of paper board material-of. a

shelf, a plurality of which'are usedabove the bottom shelf. "Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank of the bottom shelf.

Fig. 6'is a perspective view of the display case or stand in its erected position. i. I

Fig. 7.is a fragmentary perspectiveviewof the lower front portion of the display case or stand, illustrating the lower shelf and parts associated therewith at its front, showing themseparated.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section, from front to rear, somewhat enlarged, takensubstantially on the plane of line 8-8 of Fig. 6. a

Fig. 9 is a vertical section, similar toFigz8, showing the casein the process of collapsing-from the position in Fig. 8 to a fiat position.-

i Fig. 10 is a like section with the case or stand collapsed to a substantially flat condition.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section substantially on the plane of line .I IH of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 12 is a like section substantially on the plane of line |2--I2 of Fig. 10. V

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

In the construction of the display stand or case a number of members or parts are provided each, preferably, of a paper board material. The main body of the case is made from a blank of such material as shown in Fig. 1. The blank is substantially rectangular in shape and has a back rectangular section I, between which and one of the ends of the case body a line, indicated at 2, is scored or otherwise provided for folding or bending along such line. At the upper end of the folding or bending line 2 a shallow notch 3 is made as shown.

An end 4 of the case is integrally connected with the back I and extends from the folding line 2 to a folding line 5 which is parallel vto the line 2 at its upper portion, thence extends downwardly and away at an angle, as indicated at 6 for a distance, and then downwardly in a vertical direction as at 1. At the upper end of the end 4 a folding line 8 reaching from the slot or recess 3 downwardly to the upperend of the line 5 is tween it and'the front of the body,'andv also the folding line 8 for the inturned section9 atthe up nd:

flhe front of the main body member oflthe structure is provided with a seriesof openings, cuts slots and lines of folding. At the upperend portion of the front is a horizontal section l2 which is above an opening l3 made in the front. Integral with said section I2 is an upwardly extending projection, nearly the full length of the 'width of the front, as indicated at I4, with a horizontal line for folding thereof at l5. Such part l4 adjacent each end is provided witha horizontal slot [6 and at each end of the part. I4-are vertical slots l1, open at their upper ends, separatin the part M from the sections 9.. At the lower side'fofzthe opening I3 is asecond'horizontal section '18- above a second: opening is in the; front of the case, which has an integral upward extension 20, the length of which is equal to the length of the opening l3, and which may be bent or folded to the rear on a scored line for folding, indicated at 2|.

At the lower side of the opening 19 is a third member 22 similar to the parts i2 and [8, which like thegpart l8 has an upward extension 23 bendable to the rear about a scored line 24. The lower side of the part or section 22 is separated from the part of the front below it by horizontal cut or slit 25 which extends from .one scoredvline 5 to the other, that is, across the entire'front.

The lower portion of the front is vertically divided into two parts by a vertical slot-26 midway between the side edges of the'front. From the upper ends of the scored lines I. other-slits or cuts 27 extend horizontally toward each other for a distance, and then join with a horizontal out 28 located above the cuts 21 and connected 'therewithby downwardly extending end cutsas shown. This provides two sections 2a which may be folded against the. inner-sides ofthe'ends 4, on the lines 6, and permanentlysecured thereto by cementing or other permanent "connection. Thereisalso provided below the sections 29 two sections iiil whichmaybe bent orfolded about the vertical'scored line "I so "as to lie at rig'ht'angles 'to the ends l. The upper portions of the sectionsliil are provided with scored lines 1 32,'extending from short vertical slots 33.made in the upper edges of the'sections 30 at the inner ends 'of 'the cuts 21, and the sections 3i above said scored lines 32 are'b'endable to the rear.

The blank shownin' Fig. 1 is bentandfolded on the'score'd'lines '2, 5,15,"! and H to'provide a body open at both its upper-and'lower ends, the narrow section or flap iii (Figfll'l being bent over-the free edge of the back i and stapled thereto. "The sections's are folded downwardly on the lines 8 and cemented in place. Likewise the parts or sections 29arefolde'd to the rear and against the inner sides of'the ends 4 and permanently secured thereto. The parts 1 1,23 'and23 are turned-to the rear about'their lines of folding-6,21 and 24 and have the front edges of shelves connected therewith-as hereafter described. The parts or sections 3| are also turned to the'rear and-lie substantially in a horizontal plane as'shown in Fig. 9, serving as supports for the front portion of the lower shelf.

The blank sheet of material-shown inFig. 2 hasanelongated portion 34 inwhich horizontal slots 35 are-cut near their side edges in horizontal pairs as shown. At the upper end of the lower portion 34 is a shorter, somewhat wider, portion Elli across which a horizontal scored'line is made for fo1dil'1g,- ancl'at the upper'end'of -the'niemberisa-still wider section-31 between which and the section 36 are narrow shoulders 38.

"A bott'om shelf and a series of shelves above 'the'bott'om are used. The shelves above the bottom, shown in Fig. 4, each comprise a rectangular intermediate section 39 longitudinally scored for bending at 40 a short distance from each longi- 'tudinal edge, providing narrow'strips 4|, from each of which, adjacent each end, a short tongue 42 projects. The bottom shelf shown in Fig. 5 has asimilar rectangular intermediate portion "43, with a line 44 scored for bending at what 'willbe its rear portion to leave a like narrow por- "tion 4|. at such rear 'edge, from which like itongues 42 project. Nearthe opposite or'fron't eclgeportion of theshelf is a: scored line for .the strip 49 being cut diagonally as shown, and

at a short distance from each end a shallow slot or'notchil ismade.

The lower shelf 43 and the shelves 39 above the lower shelf, in the construction illustrated shown as three in number, at their rear edges have the projections 42 inserted into the slots 35-of the member 34, are bent upon the lines iii and 4d so that the narrow portions 4| bear against the 'frontfor I outer sides of the member 34, and are stapled 1 thereto making .a permanent connection. :At the .front'of the uppermost: shelf 39 the front narrow strip 4| is preferably turned upwardly and its projections or tabs 42 inserted through the slots I6 of the rearwardly'bentgportion 14, and the'overlapping parts-are stapled together. The'shelves 39 below the uppermost shelf have their front narrow sections .or'strips 4i turned'downwardly'back .of the downwardly turned parts Ziiand 23 to which they are stapled.

At the front lower portion ofthe body of the case, the two sections :33 :are'aligned with each other and the parts 3! turned to the rear,.the sections 29 having beenturned inwardly: against the inner sides of the ends 4 and cemented thereto. .The member 48, with. its upper narrow portion 49 folded downwardly'at its inner side'is staple connected, adjacent its'ends and bottom, to the parts 30. The front portion'of the-bottom shelf 33 has the intermediate longer projection 46' inserted downwardly between the parts-30 and the front member 48. The fingers 41 located beyond the ends of the parts 3 5 pass through the notches or'slotsil'il and interlock therewith, be- 213g between the'end portions of members'fit and 'In the operative and useful position .of the display stand orcase .thus made, shown in Figs. '6 and 8, the shelves'dii and tilxare'disposed horizontallyback of .an'da short distance belowthe lower sides of the openings l3 and I9, the lower shelf being below the opening whichis madeby inwardly folding the sections 29. The uppermost'shelf is disposed below the upper portion of the front member l2. The widened upper part of the member '34 'extends'aboventheupper 'open endof'thebody'and the shoulder portions 38 are received one in the slot 3 an'dftheother in the recess made by :slightly "shortenin'g'the section II) at its upper end, thereby locking'the -parts against disconnectioniand with the lower end of the member 34 resting upon the floor (Fig. 8). The uppersectiontl forms'not only aback against which articles carried by the upper shelf may beplaced but, thereupon,'advertising or other indicia may be printed if desired. Articles on the shelves below the uppermostshelf are held from accidental displacement therefrom at the front by the upwardly projecting portions of the parts It and20 and 22 and 23.

'By pulling upwardly on the'member ii'l, it and its integrally. connected" member 35am lifted vertically' and automatically moved; toward thefront of the stand .orcase. This willoccurzassoon-as 30 and 48 and turning it to'the'rear as shown in Fig. 9.

A continuation of the movement will bring the shelves 39 and 43 against the inner or rear side of the front of the case, whereupon the main body of the case may be collapsed, as shown in Figs. and 12, by moving the back toward the front with a lateral swinging of the ends 4 to the position shown in Fig. 12.

To erect the collapsed structure into its operable form the body, from the position shownin Fig. 12, is moved to bring the ends 4 at right angles to the back andspace the back i from the front. The upper section 3'! of the member 34 is turned to vertical position and moved downwardly which automatically will also move it to the rear until the shoulders 38 enter the slots 3. The bottom shelf is then connected at the front and the display case or stand is ready to receive merchandise for sale or display.

The structure described is very economical to produce. Its weight is at a minimum. The case is of ample strength and rigidity. The several parts shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive for producing the novel display case or stand are readily produced in large quantity by cutting dies.

I'he invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A case body made from a single generally rectangular sheet of paper board material having, a vertical back, a vertical end integrally and foldably connected with the back to fold on a vertical axis, a front spaced from and generally parallel to the back integral with said end at one vertical edge of the front, there being vertical lines for folding between one edge of the front and the other edge of said end, a second end'at the opposite side of the front integral therewith, there being a generally vertical line of folding between said second end and the adjacent edge of the front, and a narrow vertical flap at the outer edge of said last mentioned end, there being a vertical line of folding at its connection with said last end, said flap overlapping the free edge of the back end having a permanent connection thereto, said front in its upper portion having spaced horizontal openings therethrough, the uppermost below the upper end of said front, said front below the lowermost of said openings having a horizontal cut therethrough for the full width of the front, and a verticalslot from the lower end of the front to said horizontal cutmidway between the sides of the front, andthe front below said horizontal out having an additional horizontal cut to divide the lower portion of the front into four sections, each at its outer end integrally connected with a front edge portion of a side of the body.

2. A structure as defined in claim 9, the upper portion of said front above the uppermost opening therethrough having a scored line horizontally thereacross between said opening and the upper end of the front, there being slots having closed lower ends in substantial alignment with said folding lines at the vertical edges of the front extending upwardly to the upper edge of the blank from which the case is made, and open at their upper ends, said blank at the vertical lines of folding between the back and its adjacent end and between said flap and the adjacent end of the body having recessed portions, and said front at the lower side of each of said uppermost openings therein having horizontal folding lines in length equal to the length in said openings, said front having vertical cuts therein upwardly from the ends of said horizontal lines of folding to the ends of said openings.

WILBUR G. ANDERSON, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,886,532 Davidson Nov. 8, 1932 1,926,793 Richards Sept. 12, 1933 2,080,105 Bacon May 11, 1937 2,119,788 Kieffer et a1 June 7, 1938 2,150,743 Mancuso' Mar. 14, 1939 2,283,406 Bacon May 19, 1942 2,290,144 Katz July 14, 1942 2,571,301 Slanhofl Oct. 16, 1951 

